I cannot rave enough about how wonderful BlissDom ’09 was. For me, it was a little like church camp where I got to hang out with some of the most inspiring women in my life, gab a bit in our jammies, profess our mad love for one another and our blogs, and I almost wanted to cry when it was all over.

There were two things that I took away from this whole conference that I want to share with you because they have impacted me greatly. So greatly, that I find it difficult to figure out the right words to say it.

1. I am doing something right.

For the first time in my MomAdvice career, I finally felt like I was doing something right. I felt proud of what I have accomplished and knew that I could not picture myself doing anything else except this. I have never felt more validated than I felt meeting and talking with all of these great women or felt more secure that what I was doing had helped someone else.

I was a little scared and overwhelmed when I arrived. This was my first conference ever and there were so many people. I secretly just wanted to run in my room and hide. I was also feeling a little sick from not eating and a day at the airport. Michelle, from White Trash Mom, immediately convinced Casey, from Moosh in Indy, to take us to Subway and get us something to eat and I then leached on to her for dear life and made her introduce me to all her cool friends. Oh, and did I mention Mrs. Flinger & White Trash Mom were my roommates? I know! How lucky am I?

By the end of the day, I was sitting down and making friends with anyone who would talk to me. Many felt like old friends that I had known my entire life and some were people I had met before. Each person inspired me more to be better. To push myself a little further. To try a little harder.

One of the true highlights for me though, was sitting at a table with Shannon, Tsh, & Meredith and just talking shop wit
h them. Such wildly smart & successful women that have inspired me greatly and I was sitting with them. I kept waiting for them to ask me to leave the table, but they never did. Those moments were precious to me!

2. I have much to still do.

There are many things, more focused on the business end, that I need to be doing. I am not doing all that I could be doing for myself and for my business. There is still a land of opportunity out there and if I want to succeed, I do need to get my ducks in a row.

Instead of feeling defeated about my list of what I could do, I am feeling empowered. I have lots I can still talk about and still share on which means I have a few more years in me to keep doing what I am doing right now. And it feels good to know that!

What I have discovered is that attending a conference has really ignited me and pumped me up. It was a great way to learn how to do things in new ways and shifted my focus towards the business of running my site.

I was so proud to get to speak and moderate a panel at this conference. What an amazing moment for someone who was attending her first conference. I hoped only that I could share an ounce of great advice that the women on previous panels had shared.

Thank you to everyone who made this moment possible for us- it was an experience I will never forget!